Call for Applications: PhD Opportunities for Bangladeshi Nationals
Project: Climate Change and Plastic Waste in Bangladesh’s Garment Industry
The Centre for Entrepreneurship Development (CED) at BRAC University (BRACU) is excited to announce three PhD positions available under the research project titled “Addressing Climate Change and Plastic Waste in Bangladesh’s Garment Industry through a Global Value Chain Perspective,” funded by the Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA).
This scholarship is specifically for Bangladeshi nationals and aims to enhance the knowledge capacity of scholars in the areas of climate change, global value chains, and plastic waste management within the garment and textile sectors.
Project Coordination:
This initiative is locally coordinated by CED-BRACU in partnership with the University of Southern Denmark (SDU) and Aalborg University (AAU). The Institute of Business Administration (IBA) at the University of Dhaka will support the academic enrollment and supervision of PhD students, providing guidance from both Bangladeshi and Danish faculty.
Successful candidates will earn a PhD degree from the University of Dhaka upon completing the program and defending their thesis.
Key Dates
- Application Deadline: October 31, 2024
- Start Date: December 1, 2024
- Duration: 3 Years
Stipend/Funding Package
Selected PhD candidates will receive a stipend for three years. The project will cover all relevant admission fees, course costs, field expenses, publications, and additional related costs.
Project Overview
The project aims to analyze the relationships between environmental challenges, climate change, and social sustainability in Bangladesh’s garment industry, focusing on post-production plastic waste. Key research areas include local environmental impacts, Scope 3 emissions, greenhouse gas emissions, and social consequences of industry changes.
Objectives:
- Investigate the environmental, climate, and social impacts of local waste value chain activities.
- Explore links between environmental processes and social sustainability dimensions.
- Identify challenges to adopting sustainable practices from various stakeholders.
- Examine the role of global lead firms in industry transformation.
- Develop and assess sustainability policies.
- Investigate the integration of social dimensions into global value chain theory.
- Evaluate the applicability of modified global value chain theory in waste management.
The long-term goal is to enhance knowledge through interdisciplinary research, driving policy insights and practical solutions that merge social and climate considerations within sustainability and global value chain contexts.
Research Themes
PhD candidates will craft their research proposals aligned with the project’s goals, focusing on areas such as:
- Mapping local plastic waste recycling value chains.
- Evaluating the impact of plastic waste recycling on production and emissions.
- Co-creating innovative solutions for sustainable plastic recycling.
Research will involve quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods, emphasizing intervention research techniques.
Eligibility Criteria
Candidates must meet the PhD enrollment criteria at IBA, University of Dhaka, and hold:
- A Bachelor’s degree from a recognized public university.
- A Master’s degree from a reputable institution, preferably in Operations Management, Environmental Science, Climate Change, Risk Management, or related fields.
Additional requirements include:
- A CGPA of 2.5 out of 4 or Second Class in both degrees, with no below Second Division in any other examinations.
- Strong analytical and research skills, with experience in both qualitative and quantitative methods.
- At least one publication in a peer-reviewed journal.
- For candidates from public universities or research organizations: two years of relevant research experience.
- Ability to conduct independent research, with proficiency in English and academic writing.
Admission Process
Interested applicants should submit the following documents electronically by October 31, 2024, to ced@bracu.ac.bd:
- A research proposal (max. five pages) addressing one of the specified themes, including research questions, theoretical framework, methodology, empirical materials, and a work plan.
- Copies of Bachelor’s and Master’s degree certificates and transcripts.
- A brief curriculum vitae (CV).
- A list of publications.
- A sample of written work (e.g., Master’s thesis).
Recruitment Procedure
A recruitment committee will shortlist applicants. Notifications regarding application status will be sent shortly after the deadline. Shortlisted candidates will undergo an assessment by the PhD sub-committee of IBA and may be invited for video interviews (via Zoom/Teams).
After the selection process, candidates will be informed of their outcomes and will need to complete the formal admission process at the University of Dhaka to begin their studies.
For inquiries related to the PhD scholarship, please contact:
- Dr. Melita Mehjabeen (Professor, IBA, University of Dhaka) at melitam@iba-du.edu
- Dr. Matin Saad Abdullah (Professor, Dept of Computer Science and Engineering, BRACU) at mabdullah@bracu.ac.bd.
